Australia’s Energy Transition Research Plan

Paving clever pathways to net-zero: Australia’s Energy Transition

In addition to its domestic energy consumption, Australia is a major energy powerhouse that exports energy to the rest of the world, yet we have a difficult energy transition to net zero emissions ahead of us, given our unique geography, climate, widely dispersed populations and federal political structure.

While the energy transition to non-fossil and renewable sources is already occurring across Australia, there is currently no coordinated and holistic picture of the research underway to support a successful energy transition. Nor is there an independent and authoritative statement of current research gaps and priorities. In addition, while international energy transition research is progressing strongly, Australia cannot rely solely on this international research to support its own transition. Australia must continue to build its own research capabilities to find local solutions and strategies to solve local problems. Our unique energy environment will give rise to distinct energy transition research considerations over the coming decade.

The Australian Energy Transition Research Plan

As a response to these issues, in late 2019, ACOLA commenced discussions with the Australian energy sector on the need for an Australian Energy Transition Research Plan (the Research Plan). In mid-2020, this work officially commenced following strong stakeholder support, with the support of a number of funding partners.

The objective of the Research Plan is to identify research gaps and subsequently promote research priorities for a successful Australian energy transition to net zero carbon emissions (nominally by 2050), with the purpose of helping to inform and influence the direction, allocation and quantum of research funding in Australia. This will:

1. guide research funders, industry and researchers’ activities related to the national energy transition; and
2. encourage research activities that complement existing strengths and avoid duplicative efforts.

During the first phase of this work, ACOLA developed the Australian Energy Transition Research Plan which identified urgent and strategic research priorities and questions (Report One). The second phase of the project, which occurred over 2021-22, delved deeper into these priorities and explored key issues and actions relating to energy research translation and funding.

Three thematic briefing papers have now been released that expand on the research themes outlined in the Research Plan, to identify critical research gaps and propose a series of underpinning actionable research questions. These Research Briefing Papers can be accessed at:

• Theme 1: Energy System Dynamics
• Theme 2: Social Engage Dynamics 
• Theme 3: Transition Dynamics 

A summary of the key findings from the second phase is forthcoming, alongside two further briefing papers on the translation of research to impact and the funding of that research.

Together, these reports will address the critical pathways that are required to reach net-zero emissions:

1. the prioritisation of urgent and strategic research (Report One, Three – Five)
2. the translation of research to impact and (Report Six – forthcoming)
3. the funding of that research and research translation (Report Seven – forthcoming)

These reports are of value to:

Researchers – who can use the reports to inform their ongoing research and research grant applications. The reports recognise that research needs to be undertaken not just by the academic sector, but also by industry, government, civil society and other key sectors.

Research funders – who can acknowledge the reports and the priorities in their evaluation and approval of research grant applications to help ensure funding has the most impact or benefit

Research users – who can explore what research is in progress and how it influences them, this can include but is not limited to industry and policymakers.